News in Brief

H-1B FY2023 Season: Time to Start Process Well in Advance of March 2022 Registration Deadline: Employers who seek to register their employees for the FY2022 H-1B lottery are encouraged to gather necessary documents now to avoid any delays in registering and processing your paperwork.

Extension of Travel for U.S. Citizens with Expired Passports: CBP has announced that permission to use expired U.S. passports to return to the U.S. has been extended to March 31, 2022. Expired passports cannot be used to travel from the U.S. to an international destination or to travel to a foreign country for any length of stay longer than an airport connection en route to the United States or to a U.S. territory.

USCIS Withdraws Salary-Based H-1B Selection Regulation: In October 2020, USCIS promulgated a proposed rule that would have modified the H-1B cap selection process by replacing the random selection process with a wage-level-based selection process. This proposal has been withdrawn.

ICE Officers to Pilot Body Cameras: DHS announced that ICE law enforcement officers in select cities will begin wearing body worn cameras for pre-planned operations. The body-worn camera will be mounted on an officer’s or agent’s outerwear. Footage may be used to assess police conduct and for non-investigative purposes.

DHS Suspends Certain Work Restrictions for Hong Kong F-1 Students: DHS notice suspending certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students who are Hong Kong residents (regardless of country of birth) and who are experiencing severe economic hardship